


a thank you

by iknewshocoulddoit



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Growing Up, Sad, we just don't know, what are tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-10-23 21:02:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10727175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iknewshocoulddoit/pseuds/iknewshocoulddoit
Summary: Twelve years ago to World Team Trophy 2017. Siblings.





	a thank you

**Author's Note:**

> I've never really written a fic before and I never thought I ever would, much less it be RPF. 
> 
> Short dedication to Yuzu and Kana for having such a happy friendship that made my heart so full. I find the intersection of people's lives to be so incredibly interesting so I just had to get this off my chest. 
> 
> Obviously many omitted details / skips over events, but I just wanted to write something short. Only did a little research further than what I already knew, so please let me know if there are any glaring inaccuracies. 
> 
> This is, of course, a work of fiction, and does not in any way represent the real life skaters.

A lot can happen in ten years.

She was trying her best not to cry, surrounded in a packed stadium of hundreds. It was dark, save for a single spotlight shining on her. Her hands clasped tightly around the microphone.

“ _Thank you! Thank you, so, so much!_ ”

Her words reverberated out to the crowd. In the darkness, he smiled politely, and looked the other way.

A lot can happen in two years.

 

* * *

 

“ _Mushroom!_ ”

A voice from his left echoed as he skated by. A girl with a bright, wide smile, laughing right in his face.

His eyes widened as he quickly skated the other direction, hands shot up to cover his embarrassed face. Giggles erupted across the other skaters.

           

Her name was Kanako.

His name was… _Mushroom_.

As life would have it, as they both independently improved, they saw more and more of each other at competitions. And _Mushroom, Mushroom, Mushroom_ came along with it. Four years of it.

 

* * *

 

It wasn't difficult to like her big, friendly smile. It was enrapturing. It wasn’t difficult to like his either. Crinkled eyes filled with the brightest joys, little dimples sharing their pride. Back and forth they would tease and share advice, music, jokes. Together, it wasn’t difficult. That year, they won every single competition they went to, save for Japanese Nationals (where she beat him by a single placement), she in ladies and he in mens. They were on top of the world at their level, together.

They were sister and brother, Kana and Yuzu, soon enough.

 

They moved up to seniors together. Overwhelming, daunting, exciting didn’t even begin to describe it. They went to NHK Trophy together, where she again beat him by a single placement. Skate America, she won gold. A week later, Rostelecom Cup, he won…seventh.

He had to work harder.

She flew to the Grand Prix Final. He stayed home. A podium finish for her. She was so incredible.

At Nationals, she again beat him by a single placement. In the Kiss & Cry, he excitedly waved at her while she waited for her scores. She looked around, confusedly, finally finding his bright smile beaming back at her. A moment later, joyous cheers resonated across the crowd as she rose to first. Jaws dropped. At the end of it, she was again on the podium. He was not.

 

“ _Good luck_ ≧(´▽｀)≦!!,” he sent her. She was flying off to Worlds. He hadn’t made the team.

 

At 4CC, he finally got a satisfying silver.

“I’ve finally caught up to Kanako,” he told a reporter.

 

The following season, he chose to skate to her favorite song as his exhibition piece. A high-energy, fun piece. It made her laugh. She was touched.

In gala exhibitions they joked around as always, dancing and taking pictures with other skaters.

He flew to the Grand Prix Final that year.

She never made it there ever again.

 

After Sochi, there’s a trajectory. His flying higher and higher, Olympic gold medalist and multiple, multiple, multiple world-record breaker. Hers plateauing, sinking, hoping, glimmering, drowning, sinking. An injury. Injuries.

Sister and brother still. Still teasing, still joking.

Farther and farther out of reach. Farther and farther apart.

 

It’s a slow burn. A crawl, a slaughter. The LINE messages stop. Busy, busier. Excuses. Interviews. Commercials. University. Excuses. Forgetting.

 

A tearful skate at Nationals. Finally, something satisfying. Still, an eighth place finish. But, it doesn’t matter to her anymore. She’s made up her mind.

Her sister retires a few months before her.

Her brother…no brother.

 

* * *

 

She steps off the ice, leaving this atmosphere for the last time. A bright, colorful crown adorned upon her hair, wispy strands framing her tear-stained face. She’s in the darkness now, watching the last skaters leave the ice. She stays by the rinkside, waiting for something else. She doesn’t want to leave. One by one the other girls jump, they flop, they try their best. She laughs out of habit. No one is paying attention to her.

At last, all the girls step off. Kana gets ready to leave too.

A spotlight flies upon him. He turns in a circle, waving to the audience cheering wildly for him. He raises his hand to his mouth. The whole crowd goes silent in an instant. She flips her head to watch as well. Eyes all glued to the lone white swan.

He’s the prince. The king. The emperor.

 _“Three! Two! One!”_ he shouts.

Something’s caught in her throat. She smiles. A bright, wide smile.

“ _Thank you so much!_ ”

Her smile widens. He bows. He turns.

 

Face to face. She’s there. He’s there. Sister and brother.

His mouth closes; eyes flicker for a moment, widen, and he turns quickly to walk the other way, off to backstage, calling to catch up with the other skaters.

           

A lot can happen.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you, Kana, for existing.  
> May you find happiness in whatever you pursue.  
>   
> In actuality Yuzu faced Kana for a moment after shouting to the crowd and then turned the other way to take off his skate guards, said thank you to his fans above him again, and then walked immediately off. I think his silence to her says a thousand words. Perhaps that's even more bittersweet.


End file.
